Wrath of the Pufferfish
by LindenMae
Summary: But Zuko doesn't want to be a zombie... Halloween themed short fic. AU, western influences, Slash.
1. Legend of the Pufferfish

**Warning: this short story contains western influences in the form of Voodoo and Halloween. It is also slightly AU because it takes place after Zuko joins the group but before he becomes Fire Lord, because I am pretty sure trying to turn the Fire Lord into a zombie would have a serious punishment. Also this story contains romantic relationship between Sokka and Zuko because I think I may actually have a condition that prevents me from****writing ATLA fiction without some sort of Zukka. I say that because this started out in my head with no Zukka other than friendship but apparently my fingers have minds of their own and they typed it right on in there.**

**You have been warned. I don't own ATLA or anything related to it. **

**ONLY Part 1 is mostly dialogue. The rest of the story is normal.**

**Part 1- Legend of the Pufferfish**

"Come _on, _Zuko. It'll be great! You've just got to get into the spirit of the holiday!"

"I don't know. This just doesn't seem... safe."

"You'll be fine. Don't you trust me?"

"I did."

"Ugh. You're not looking at the bigger picture. If we can pull this off, it will be _amazing_!"

"_IF._ Sokka, I would give my life for you but... I'd rather not have to do it so that you can play a prank on the Avatar and your sister."

"And Toph."

Zuko's eyes widened when the other boy didn't make an attempt to convince him that his life would not, in fact, be put in danger.

"You're missing my point."

"And _you're _being a baby. I've planned it all out, down to the last detail. We'll have them shaking in their boots."

"Toph doesn't wear boots."

"Figure of speech!" The young warrior threw his hands up in the air to emphasize his frustration with his chosen, if unwilling, partner in crime. "Zuko, buddy, you just need to have faith in the plan."

"Isn't there some way we could do this that doesn't involve me ingesting poison and putting myself into a, possibly permanent, coma? Couldn't I just _pretend_ to be dead?"

"No! Even if you _could_ hold your breath for the amount of time it would take to convince everyone that you died, Toph would be able to feel your heartbeat. This is the _only _way to do it. The poison will numb your body and slow your heart until it's practically not beating but you'll still be alive and you'll be unconscious so it's not like you'll be in any pain."

"But..."

"I can _do_ this, Zuko. I've read all about it and it looks pretty easy. As long as I cut the fish right and you get just the right amount of poison, theoretically you should be fine."

"_Theoretically_?"

Sokka laid a comforting hand on the firebender's upper arm.

"Just trust me. I'm the plan guy. When have my plans ever failed?"

The pale ex-prince just stared at the Water Tribe boy, biting his lip against the urge to answer that question.

**********************************************

Zuko approached tentatively, watching the young waterbender and the Avatar practice the element with admiration. He waited patiently until the airbender noticed him, an excited grin taking over his face.

"Hey Sifu Hotman!"

Zuko ignored the moniker and addressed the girl.

"Katara? Could I talk to you for a minute?"

She looked at him suspiciously but nodded.

"Um, keep practicing Aang. I'll be right back."

She walked over to where Zuko stood, curiosity prevalent in her blue eyes. He shuffled his feet awkwardly for a second, unsure of how to broach the subject. Luckily for him she spoke first.

"Zuko? What's wrong?"

He looked her in the eye and sighed.

"I... I think your brother might be trying to kill me."

Katara snorted and immediately covered her face when an embarrassed blush crossed her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." She tried to stifle a giggle. "Are you two having relationship problems?"

It was Zuko's turn to blush, an act that was much more obvious on his pale skin.

"What? No! We are _not _in a... _relationship_!" He hung his head and ran his hands through his hair in frustration, mumbling. "I knew this was a bad idea. I should just go hide in a cave until this stupid holiday is over."

"Relax Zuko. It was a joke... You are really on edge today."

"Oh. Right."

Zuko looked up, his face stoic. The jovial expression on Katara's face fell away as she regarded her former enemy.

"You can't really believe that Sokka's trying to kill you."

"I'm not sure. I didn't think so at first but... "

"But?"

Zuko looked around quickly to make sure no one was listening, then took a deep breath and launched into the story.

"It's this ridiculous holiday."

"Halloween?"

Zuko nodded. "He wants to play a prank on your group." He hesitated, unsure of the best way to explain Sokka's plan.

"He just wants to play a prank? Don't you think you're overreacting a little bit?"

"No. It's not the prank, it's how far he wants to take it. He expects me to ingest pufferfish poison in order to make you guys think that I'm dead."

"What? That's so dangerous! How could he be so reckless?

"Because he actually wants me to die?"

"I don't believe that. You're his friend. Why would he suddenly want to kill you?"

Zuko shrugged. "That's why I came to you. I've told him that I think it's a bad idea but he refuses to let it go. He's convinced that his _plan _is infallible and that I won't get hurt."

"Well, did you ask him why _he_ couldn't be the one pretending to be dead?"

"He said something about being the plan guy and that the plan won't work if the plan guy is in a coma."

Katara chewed her lip thoughtfully.

"So what's the plan? You 'die' and then what? Suddenly come back to life and pretend to be a zombie?"

"Essentially."

"Ugh. For someone so smart my brother can be the biggest idiot. "

"No arguments here."

"Well, what do you want to do about it? Do you want me to talk to him?"

"I don't really know. Do you think that will solve things?"

"I don't really know either. Are you sure you didn't do anything to make him mad?"

"Yes!" He hissed.

"Okay, okay... I don't know if just talking to him will be enough. This isn't the first time he's gotten himself into trouble because of a scam or a prank."

"At least you're not all in on it."

"Haha, what? You are way too paranoid, Zuko. You're part of the group now. We don't want you dead... anymore."

"Right..."

They both startled at the sound of shuffling feet behind them.

"Ahem. Listen Sparky, Sugarqueen, if you two _really _want to teach Sparky's boyfriend a lesson then I believe I can help you."

"He is _not _my boyfriend!"

********************************************

"I've thought it over."

"And?"

"You're sure I'm not going to die?"

"Zuko! Yes, I'm sure!"

"And this is the _only _way?"

"Believe me, I've looked at every other possible scenario. I don't _want _you to have to poison yourself but this is the only way to fool everyone. "

"Couldn't we just let Toph in on the joke?"

"No. This is _our _thing. You and me."

Sokka rested a hand on the firebender's shoulder, looking him the eye in an attempt to establish trust. Zuko hung his head in defeat, hiding a devious smirk.

"Then I'll do it. For you."

"I knew you'd come through, buddy. I promise you won't regret it when you see the looks on their faces."

"No," he murmured quietly, "I don't think I will."

**********************************************

"Correct me if I'm wrong but, I thought the whole point of turning the joke back on Sokka was to spare me from having to poison myself."

"You won't actually do it, Sparky. Just make it look like you are, so that he believes it and thinks that everything is going exactly to his plan. Then we'll set _our _plan in motion and Sokka won't know what hit him." The blind girl slammed a fist into her open palm, emphasizing her point.

"Toph... Isn't this a bit mean?" Katara's face was full of concern for her brother. "I know he can be a pain but I feel like we might be going too far."

"This is exactly what he wanted to do to us, Sugarqueen. Our plan is just better. Snoozles is gonna _freak_!"

"Um, what about the ava... Aang? Shouldn't we let him in on the plan?" Zuko pulled at a stray thread on the hem of his tunic.

"Hmm... We're gonna have to keep Twinkle Toes in the dark. I don't think we can trust him not to get over excited and blow the whole thing."

"I don't feel right about tricking Aang."

"I don't feel right about doing this to anybody." Zuko looked down, still uncomfortable about his place in the group.

"Don't be such wimps! It's a harmless little prank."

"Harmless to you..." Zuko muttered.

"Look, as long as everybody does their part everything will go smoothly and Sokka will learn a lesson. An awesome, scary lesson. Sparky, you just make sure that Sokka thinks you've taken the poison, Sugarqueen and I will do the rest."

"I still think we should tell Aang..." Katara fiddled with an errant piece of hair nervously.

"Ugh fine. I guess his airbending will be pretty useful when Princess over here comes back from the dead the second time... but he's your responsibility. Make sure he doesn't blow it."

"I still don't know..." Zuko hedged.

"Scared your boyfriend might break up with you for tricking him?"

"_HE'S_ _NOT MY BOYFRIEND!_"

*********************

**continued**


	2. Victim of the Pufferfish

**All of my knowledge of pufferfish poison and its effects on the human body come from an episode of CSI: Miami (horrible, horrible show but Jonathan Togo is just so dang hot) and a paper I wrote on Voodoo when I was nineteen. I'm probably grossly off but I'm just gonna go with it for the sake of my story.**

**Part 2- Wrath of the Pufferfish**

The air that night was eerily still and surprisingly warm, as if Aang were purposely bending the air against the breeze. Zuko gulped it down nervously then cleared his throat against a dry tickle. The sun was setting, just barely peaking over the tops of the trees that surrounded the two boys, hiding them from prying eyes. The shadows cast by the branches stretched over their bodies like skeletal fingers, caressing their skin and hollowing their faces.

Sokka worked furiously with a mortar and pestle, grinding away at an already fine white powder, his tongue trapped between his teeth and his brow furrowed in concentration. A low groan that echoed over the forest sounded off the walls of the nearby canyon. Sokka swore as he nearly dropped the stone dish, saving it only by leaning forward ungracefully and very nearly falling with the momentum.

"It's just Appa." Zuko reassured him, his voice low and lacking in confidence.

"I know that. It just startled me that's all."

"We don't have to do this..." Zuko's voice was quiet, his eyes nearly pleading with his friend to change his mind. Sokka shook his head and resumed twisting the pestle with his hand. The powder was as fine as it was going to get but the watertribe boy continued to grind, the first tendrils of fear beginning to twine around his gut. He had put up a brave front to keep Zuko calm but he wasn't as sure of himself anymore. This was dangerous and he knew it but he couldn't back out now, after all this work. Zuko would think he was a coward and that wasn't okay.

"Alright. I... I think we're good. Are you ready?" He placed the instruments on the ground gingerly and faced the firebender.

"No." Zuko crossed his arms over his chest and looked away, as much to hide his nerves as to hide the confliction in his face. He didn't want to hurt Sokka but he hadn't been reassured by Katara's belief in her brother. The idea that Sokka was actually trying to trick him into essentially killing himself still gnawed at the back of his mind leaving a sick feeling in his chest. He also hadn't come up with a way to avoid ingesting the poison without alerting Sokka to his treachery.

He cut his eyes to Sokka's form and sighed when he registered the frown on the young man's face. Unfolding his arms he hung his head and sighed. "Fine."

"Okay. I think the best way to do this is to get the powder straight into your bloodstream."

"How do we do that?"

"We need to cut you."

"_Cut me?"_

"Just a small one, then I'll pour a little powder into it and you should feel the effects pretty quickly."

A tan hand reached out to rest on a tense pale forearm, calloused fingertips stroking lightly along an upraised artery, made engorged and angry by an unconscious fist. It took a moment for Zuko to even realize that he was holding his hands that way, in silent opposition to what he was about to do. He hadn't been anticipating this and couldn't foresee a way out.

"Zuko... it's gonna be okay. I promise. I won't let anything happen to you."

"You sound like you mean that." He hadn't meant to sound so venomous and ... hurt.

"I _do._" Sokka squeezed his forearm lightly and leaned forward just a bit. Zuko clenched his fist tighter against his stomach's sudden somersault and thrust it towards the other boy. With his free hand he reached beneath his tunic and withdrew the Earth Kingdom dagger his uncle had given him, ruefully musing that he had probably never anticipated it being used in this way. He shoved the dagger hilt first into Sokka's chest.

"Just do it."

Sokka gasped slightly as the blunt end of the blade dug painfully into his muscle then reached up slowly to take it out of Zuko's hand. He slid his fingers to the top of Zuko's arm which was currently facing the ground and encircled his thumb and index finger around the nearly translucent wrist. He brought the sharp end of the blade to the skin just below Zuko's elbow and pressed it down. Not enough to draw blood but enough to prepare the firebender for the next step.

"Do it." He hissed. Fear beginning to spiral inside of him, twisting his gut into a knot that he worried may never untie itself. He inhaled sharply when he felt the blade dig into his skin. It was a small incision, a minor sting he may never have noticed if he hadn't been expecting it. Sokka waited a beat for the wound to begin beading with red.

"This is it, buddy. The greatest practical joke ever." Sokka tried to speak soothingly but he couldn't keep his voice from faltering as he released his grip on Zuko's wrist and reached forward to hold the two edges of bleeding skin apart.

_Or the worst, _Zuko thought but didn't say.

A thick lump of bile rose in his throat as he watched Sokka maneuver the stone dish over the cut and tip it, being exceedingly careful not to get any of the powder on his own skin. He felt the first fall of powder make contact with his arm then nearly as quickly as it had touched him the sting of the wound was gone and a nauseating numbness was quickly creeping down the limb. Sokka had barely deposited more than a pinch of the powder into Zuko before the firebender jerked his arm away in a panic.

"I can't feel my arm. I can't _feel _it!" He nearly yelled but he found his voice was only half there, blocked by fear. He began to hyperventilate, scrambling away from Sokka and resting all of his weight on one arm, the other held in front of his face while he stared at it in disbelief. "What did you do to me? What did you _do_ to me?"

"Zuko calm down! I told you it would numb your body. This is supposed to happen. You're fine!" Sokka scrambled to his knees and crawled towards his friend.

"I am _not _fine! I shouldn't have let you do this. I _knew _you were trying to kill me! I trusted you!" His breathing became more erratic as the terrible feeling of nothingness crept across his body causing his other arm to collapse beneath him, laying him out flat on his back. He wanted to cry, to scream, but he found that he could no longer move and then Sokka was hovering over him, blocking any light that was still filtering through the trees.

"You're going to be fine, Zuko. I promise. I _promise._" But he didn't look so sure of himself anymore. Zuko tried to speak, moving his lips wordlessly because he could still feel _those_ but any syllables that were on his tongue were swallowed by Sokka's mouth on his, warm and soft. He relaxed only enough to unconsciously meet the kiss until he could no longer feel it, could no longer feel anything.

****************************

Sokka sat beside Zuko's body for an hour, waiting for the firebender's heart to feel like it had quit beating and for those wild, golden eyes to stop accusing him. The eyes were the worst part, staring at him, _into _him, ripping him apart with the fear and the hurt that threatened to pull him down and drown him in twin pools of molten gold.

When Zuko was finally cold and completely still, he buried his head in his hands and let a bone shaking sob rip through his body. Whatever had possessed him to believe that this had been a good idea and to push it on Zuko so relentlessly, was gone. He didn't know if he could go through with the rest of it anymore. But then what _would _he do?

He supposed he could get Katara to try and heal Zuko. He thought she could probably do it but then he would have to admit that he'd fucked up and probably destroyed whatever tenuous bit of trust there had been between him and the ex-prince, all for the sake of a joke.

No. He would go through with it and he would just have to hope that the thrill of terrifying the rest of the gang would be enough to win Zuko back over. He was sure he could still feel the faintest echo of a heartbeat, he was sure, and he would just have to hope that no one else felt it. But _he_ felt it and that meant that Zuko was still alive and everything would be fine.

Slowly he got to his feet making sure to hide the mortar and pestle and the poison before taking one last long look at Zuko's prone body. He trudged back to the camp with his head hanging and his heart heavy.

****************************

Zuko opened his eyes slowly, his brain foggy and his movements unsure. A sharp tingling attacked his body as feeling returned to it and he couldn't suppress a low groan as the pain spread like fire through his muscles. But not fire. He understood fire. Fire was part of him. A million tiny daggers attacked his limbs all at once causing him to choke on the much needed breaths that he was finally able to drag into his lungs.

A glistening sheen of sweat broke out across his skin as he tentatively tried to move his fingers and then his toes. He blinked a few times, struggling against the suffocating darkness that covered him whether his eyes were open or not. Fear clutched at his chest and he very nearly smiled with relief at the feeling because of exactly that. He could _feel_ and that meant he wasn't dead... he hoped.

Eventually a faint glow began to creep into the edges of the darkness, illuminating the lines and colors of the walls around him. He did smile at that, ignoring the way it made his face burn, because it meant that he could see and as he took in his surroundings he realized that he was not lying in the same place that he'd been when he lost consciousness.

The glow flickered and waned then grew with each breath that he took as he struggled to fight the invading cold that had settled over his body as the maddening tingling subsided. Someone was weeping, he noticed, somewhere close but not right next to him. Weeping? Over him? Yes. He was alive. He doubted there would be weeping in the spirit world unless he was about to be subjected to the images of suffering that his family had caused, that _he_ had caused. He wasn't looking forward to that.

The weeping got louder when he groaned again, trying to stiffly force himself into a sitting position. He _had _to be alive, death couldn't possibly be this painful. His head throbbed and he felt a sudden wave of vertigo wash over him, tempting him to lie back down. Then the sounds that were reaching his ears changed, from weeping to wailing peppered with angry shouts.

"How do you not _know _what happened? How could he have just _died?_" A girl's voice. Katara's voice?

"I don't know! I just found him like that! Don't you think I'm upset too?" Sokka. He _did _sound upset. Why?

"It just doesn't make any sense! There was barely a mark on him!" He turned his head towards the speakers, grimacing as a series of pops tore up his neck. He suddenly wished that they hadn't left him lying on the ground this entire time. They were sitting around a fire, the four of them, nearly fifteen feet away from him... mourning him.

"Katara, please calm down. There's nothing we can do about it now." Aang. He saw the shadow of the small boy reach over to embrace the shaking waterbender who collapsed into his arms seemingly overcome by grief.

Toph was stoically quiet, staring at the ground, her milky eyes almost glowing in the firelight. Her head raised quickly, a movement unseen except by him, and he thought he saw a tiny smirk twitch on her lips. So he _was _alive but he would be dead again within moments. If this was the cost of a sense of humor, he was glad he'd pretty much failed to develop one.

His eyes settled on Sokka and he stayed still for a brief moment longer, taking in the haunted look on the warrior's face. The flames flickered over tan skin, paling it in the places where it stretched taut against bone and shadowing it where the light couldn't reach, creating a terrifying image that only enhanced the look of sorrow on the watertribe boy's features.

He hesitated, contemplating ending the joke right there. He thought about standing up and announcing that the prank was over before it could run its course, saving everyone the trouble...

A sharp stabbing in his lower back forced him to move and it moved with him until he was standing awkwardly and grunting with the sudden exertion. The pillar of rock that had propelled him forward disappeared as suddenly as it had shot out of the ground, leaving him unbalanced and stumbling. He tried to speak but he could only manage guttural moans as he dragged himself towards the fire.

*************************

**continued**


	3. Wrath of the Pufferfish

**This fic turned out a lot darker than I'd originally intended but I still think it's pretty lighthearted... I hope. Anyway I feel really sorry for the way I treat Sokka in this because I know how I'm going to treat him for basically the rest of No Such Thing as Stability. Poor Sokka.**

**But, on the other hand, it was really fun to write something primarily from Zuko's pov since NSTAS is mostly from Sokka's. **

**Part 3- Wrath of the Pufferfish**

"Zuko?" Sokka's face brightened as he watched the firebender approach them but he quickly remembered to mask it with a look of shock despite the light, happy feeling that was expanding in his chest.

"Yes Zuko!" Katara wailed, shooting her brother a murderous look, "He's dead, remember? What is _wrong _with you?"

He saw the smirk grow wider on Toph's face but no one else seemed to notice. There was no backing out now and try as he might, he still couldn't will words to form on his tongue. He couldn't warn Sokka.

"No Katara. There's someone coming towards us." A pause for dramatic effect. "I... I don't understand. I can feel someone coming but there's... there's no heartbeat!" The smirk had fallen away and the little blind earthbender suddenly looked terrified. She was good. He glanced back to Sokka, who also looked terrified, genuinely terrified.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked slowly, suddenly shivering against a whipping wind that made the fire crackle and spark. Blue eyes never left gold, widening dramatically as Zuko drew closer. He looked unsure, as if he couldn't decide whether this was still his plan or not.

"Guys, I'm not kidding. Whatever is here right now, it's _not_ Zuko. It's not _alive._"

"What do you _mean?_" Sokka's voice cracked as he hissed again, his shoulders beginning to tremble from more than just the wind. Katara finally dug her face out of Aang's shoulder and Zuko felt oddly disappointed to see that her eyes were dry and determined.

A sudden fog rolled in swiftly, covering him and dousing the fire. Everything was suddenly dark and he could just barely make out the mist that obscured his view. It choked him, moisture invading his nostrils but at the same time it roused him, kept him stumbling onward just to be rid of it.

"I don't understand. Zuko's dead. Dead! You said it yourself, Toph!" Katara.

"He _was. Is. _It's getting closer. " He could see the blurry outline of her shadow standing, taking a fighting stance. "It's _not _Zuko." Her voice softened, almost as if she was sad but he saw her fists raise and he prepared himself for what was coming next.

"Toph what are you doing?" Sokka was now standing as well. "You can't attack him!"

"What do you want me to do? Wait until he attacks _us_?" He could see the earth rise up in front of her, floating, waiting for her to send it flying straight towards him.

"Toph! It's Zuko! I _saw _him! Maybe he's just too far away for you to feel his heartbeat!" Sokka's voice was cracking with desperation. This wasn't how he thought it would go. This wasn't right. "Katara tell her! Aang?"

"I'm sorry, Sokka. Toph's right. We have to fight him... it. He'll kill us if we don't." Then the Avatar was standing and a gush of air was billowing towards him, slicing through the fog and clearing his vision, though it still swirled around his legs and hid the ground.

He could see the terror on Sokka's face now. He was trembling and Zuko thought he could almost hear bones rattling. From somewhere above him he heard chattering that seemed to echo off the walls and then a long deep groan that nearly shook the ground. Were the animals in on it or were they just feeling the vibrations of fear that were falling off of Sokka?

"You can't do this!" But Sokka's voice was wavering. Zuko kept going, fluid movement slowly but surely returning to his body. He locked eyes with the water tribesman and opened his mouth, focusing on forming a coherent word. It came out sounding more like the croak of a badgerfrog than his own voice but everyone seemed to understand it.

"Sokka."

The tribesman fell to his knees, his face turning an unnatural shade of green.

"Don't hurt him." Sokka whispered but he didn't move, couldn't move and no one else paid him any mind.

Toph gestured suddenly, ignoring Sokka's plea, and the rock was hurtling towards him. He braced himself. Diving out of the way wasn't an option, he was still too ungainly on his feet, so he stood his ground and hoped that Toph's plan was better than Sokka's.

Just as the rock came so close that he closed his eyes in preparation for impact, a knife of wind came hurtling past, breaking the rock into a thousand pieces that scattered around him. The rock took most of the impact leaving just enough of a gust to knock him onto his back and to steal the breath from his lungs.

He imagined that from Sokka's point of view it looked as if the joint attacks had hit him together and almost positively killed him again... if he hadn't already been dead. He tried not wheeze. Dead people didn't wheeze, but the effort was painful.

"No! What did you _do_? He wasn't dead! He _wasn't_!"

"He _was_, Sokka! You watched me try to heal him! It didn't work! You saw it!"

"Well try again! _Please_. I'm telling you he wasn't dead." There was no confidence in Sokka's voice anymore. Just a shadow of hope that he hadn't just gotten his friend killed, _twice._ "Please, Katara."

Then he felt a presence over him and he resisted the urge to crack his eyelids to see who it was. He kept his breathing shallow, hoping that if it was Sokka he would be too distraught to notice. Then blue light permeated the wall that his eyelids created and he knew it was Katara, pretending to try and heal him.

"Is it working?" Frantic.

"No. He's gone, Sokka. I'm sorry."

"We have to cut off his head. It's the only way to be sure he won't come back again." He twitched involuntarily at that.

"We can't do that, Toph. Attacking him like that, just now, that was hard enough. He was our friend." Aang.

It struck a chord within him. Another time when he'd been lying prone like this with Aang above him, asking if they could be friends... He felt sick again.

"It's the only way."

"No! I won't let you! You guys don't understand! This was all just a misunderstanding. A big, horrible misunderstanding."

"What kind of misunderstanding?" Katara, sharp and hard.

"It was just a joke! He wasn't dead. He was just pretending. We just wanted to scare you guys." Sokka's voice tapered to a broken whisper at the end of his sentence and Zuko could imagine his shoulders hunched in defeat.

"A joke? But I couldn't feel his heartbeat! How do you explain that?"

"Pufferfish poison. He looked dead and _felt _dead but he wasn't."

"And you were both in on it? Why would he do that to us? After we trusted him?" Katara.

"He didn't want to. I kind of forced him into it. I think he just went along with it to make me happy."

"That is the _stupidest_ thing I've _ever _heard! How could you be such an idiot, Sokka? How could you let us hurt him if you knew he was alive?" Zuko cringed at the volume of Katara's voice in his ear and almost tried to roll out of the way but she laid a hand on his shoulder, holding him down.

"I tried to stop you! You wouldn't listen! Toph said she couldn't feel a heartbeat. Maybe I... maybe I really did kill him." He heard a sob break free from Sokka's throat and strained against Katara's hand. Then he heard scuffling and the pressure on his shoulder was gone, a new body kneeling beside him. He would have known it was Sokka even without the small surge of rock in the small of his back that had been agreed upon as the signal. Stupid signal.

"I'm so sorry, Zuko. I'm so, so sorry." Then the rock surged further and he knew it was time for him to move. He was supposed to just sit up and yell 'boo!' in Sokka's face or something safe like that but that isn't what he wanted to do or what his body would allow him to do. This joke had already gone too far for his liking and Sokka seemed so broken next to him. It didn't cross his mind that what he chose to do would drive the Watertribe teen even further over the edge.

He leaned up as quickly as he could, resting all of his weight on one weak arm and reaching with the other to cup the back of Sokka's head and pull him in. Their faces met in an awkward clash of teeth and bone, their noses pressing uncomfortably together and chins bumping.

When Sokka squealed and tried to pull away, Zuko held onto him for a brief second then let him go, shakily pushing himself into a seated position. Toph pulled a slab of rock from the earth behind him that allowed him to lean back, still too weak to completely support himself. He watched with half lidded eyes as Sokka scrambled away, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide with fear.

"Sokka." He groaned, actually enjoying the outcome of the prank despite himself.

"AAAGGHHH!"

Sokka's arms gave out beneath him and his back hit the ground hard, only a small gust of well timed wind keeping him from cracking his head on the stone.

"What are you so scared of Sokka? It's just Zuko. _Undead _Zuko." An evil smirk twisted Katara's pretty face as she stood over her brother, hands on her hips. Aang and Toph were snickering together on the other side of fire pit, watching Sokka squirm. He was panting heavily, struggling to understand what was happening around him.

Zuko was amused but he couldn't help but notice that no one seemed particularly surprised by his decision to _kiss _Sokka.

Something like a gag came out of Sokka's mouth as he tried to speak, lifting his head and eyeing Zuko with both shock and suspicion.

"It's okay. I'm not dead or undead. I promise." A lopsided smile hung on his mouth as he spread his hands in an effort to placate the water tribe boy.

"You... you're... okay?"

"Of course he's okay, Snoozles. You don't actually believe in _zombies _do you?"

"This... was all a joke?"

"That's right, Sokka. Happy Halloween!" Aang beamed and sat up straighter. His face fell slightly as he watched Sokka scramble to his hands and knees, murder in his eyes, and lunge towards Zuko.

"How could you _do_ that to me?" He shrieked, his hands latching onto Zuko's shoulders in a vice like grip.

"You poisoned me!" He countered, unable to shake the warrior in his weakened state. For a brief second he thought that Sokka might _actually _kill him and, oddly enough, he'd grown so used to the idea that there was no terror around his heart this time, just annoyance. He was _really _tired of dying.

"I thought you were _dead_. I actually thought you were dead! I hate you!" Blue eyes stared intently into golden ones and then Sokka was crushing his mouth against Zuko's, bruising their lips together, neither boy caring in the least that there was an audience.

_**fin**_

**HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!**


End file.
